Target blood pressure for the over 75s . . . and other stories

Falls and syncope

Two years ago the SPRINT trial, carried out in the US, showed advantages in treating people of 75 and older to a target blood pressure of less than 120 mm Hg. Cardiovascular events and death were reduced without an increase in falls or syncope. A community based study in Ireland raises doubts about how far these results can be generalised (JAMA Intern Med doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2017.2924). People in the Irish study had rates of falls and syncope five times higher than the standard care group in SPRINT, which could mean that they’d be more vulnerable to adverse effects.

Coffee drinking

Coffee contains several biologically active compounds, and two billion cups are consumed worldwide every day. In the …